Track mounted rail and adjustable starting block therefor

ABSTRACT

A starting device for track events comprising a rail adapted to be fixed on the track surface, the rail having upwardly open, forwardly inclined slits spaced longitudinally in the direction of travel; and a pair of starting blocks, the blocks being selectively mounted in the slits on opposite sides of the rail, each block having means for adjusting the inclination of its front step-on surface. The rail is mounted so as to be spaced from the track surface. A sound system is mounted in either the rail or one of the blocks.

United States Patent n91 Fichter et al.

[ July 17, 1973 TRACK MOUNTED RAIL AND ADJUSTABLE STARTING BLOCKTHEREFOR [75] Inventors: Walter Fichter, Schiltach; Otto Armbruster,l-Iornberg; Josef King, Schramberg-Sulgen, all of Germany [73] Assignee:Firma Gebruder Junghans G.m.b.H.,

Schramberg, Germany [22] Filed: Jan. 22, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 108,718

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 29, 1970 Germany P 20 04031.7

52 US. Cl 272/59 A [51] Int. Cl A 63b 69/00 [58] Field Of Search 272/59A; 273/187 R, 273/187 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,608,897 9/1971 Ross 272 59 A 2,890,048 '6/1959 Holmes 272/59 A2,004,172 6/1935 Niday 272/59 A 3,400,928 9/1968 welaacheruu.

2,937,871 5/1960 McCafferty... 272/59 A 3,401,931 9/1968 McCafferty eta1 272/59 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 125,753 10/1947 Australia272/59 A Primary Examiner-Anton O Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Richard J.Apley Att0rneyBurns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis [57] ABSTRACT A startingdevice for track events comprising a rail adapted to be fixed on thetrack surface, the rail having upwardly open, forwardly inclined slitsspaced longitudinally in the direction of travel; and a pair of startingblocks, the blocks being selectively mounted in the slits on oppositesides of the rail, each block having means for adjusting the inclinationof its front step-on surface. The rail is mounted so as to be spacedfrom the track surface. A sound system is mounted in either the rail orone of the blocks.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIEU JUL 1 7m sum 2 m 3- PATENIED JUL 1H913 SHEH 3 [IF 3 TRACK MOUNTED RAIL AND ADJUSTABLE.

STARTING BLOCK THEREFOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The inventionrelates to a starter device for track events comprised of a rail fixedon the track and two starting blocks attached adjustably in thedirection of the sprint.

In the case of a known device of this type, the starting blocks havebeen attached, with the assistance of cap screws with wing nuts, on acenter rail provided with longitudinal slits. Since the starting blocksare connected with the rail only frictionally in such instances, thereis the danger that the blocks will slip in the case of the pressureexerted on them during starting, unless they have been tightenedsufficiently firmly. The sprinters therefore attempt to tighten the wingnuts as much as they can. As a result, wing nuts tightened by astrongsprinter may present release difficulties, particularly in the case of aweaker sprinter. The known starting blocks are also disadvantageous inthat the angle of inclination of the step-on surfaces cannot be easilyadapted to the wishes of the individual athletes.

The object of the invention is to provide a starting device of theinitially mentioned type which will assure a safe mounting of thestarting blocks without necessitating the use of screws, and in whichstarting blocks of a simple design can be used. According to theinvention this will be achieved by the rail being provided with severalalternating indentations and projections lying one behind the other intheir longitudinal direction. The starting blocks are provided withcomplementary lateral projections or indentations in such a manner thatthey can be positively connected with the rail in their longitudinaldirection. In this manner, a connection of the adjustable startingblocks with the rail in a non-slippable manner is assured in a simpleway.

The rail is preferably U-shaped in transverse crosssection and in itsU-legs it is provided with upwardly opening slits. The slits are slantedforward in the running direction, by anappropriate angle with respect tothe longitudinaldirection of the rails. Advantageously, this angle maybe about 75.

Each starting block may be comprised of a lower part or base that can beattached to the rail and an upper part or step-on element disposedpivotally on the lower base. The base may include two perpendicular sideplates, on the front end of which the upper element has been pivotallyor swingingly mounted. Teeth are formed on the rear of the base toadjustably receive a transverse pin which is arranged on the rear oftheupper element. The pin may be slidably or shiftably mounted inhorizontal slots formed in the upper element and is forced forwardlyinto engagement with the teeth by means of a spring.

Alternatively, the side plates may also be provided at their front endswith horizontal slots, in which the upper element is swivelly andshiftably mounted. At the rear ends of the side plates, approximatelyvertical slits may be formed and provided with forwardly open teeth. Atransverse pin fixedly arranged on the upper element is adjustablyengaged with the teeth.

The starting blocks may be provided with projections or indentations onboth sides so that each block can be mounted on either of the sides ofthe rail.

The rail is provided at its ends with feet, whichcarry spikes, so thatit will be fixed on the tracksimply by kit placing it there. This willbe advantageous particularly on modern tracks with some syntheticcovering. Advantageously the rail will be kept at a distance from thetrack by way of stepped-up portions of the feet, so that a shaking ortilting will be prevented in the case of an uneven track. I

Advantageously, a sound source, for examplea loudspeaker, may beprovided on either the rail or on one or every starting block. Theloudspeaker may be con trolled by the individual giving the startingsignal. As a result, not only will different sound travel times to theindividual athletes be avoided, but the sound travel time altogetherwill be kept short, so that it can be disregarded.

The invention will be explained in more detail in the followingparagraphs on the basis of the drawing of a few embodiments presented byway of example. In the drawings: a

FIG. 1 shows a perspective presentation of the first embodiment of astarting block according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows an angle plate with round bolt, which can be screwed ontothe starting block of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective presentation of the base or lower part of thestarting block according to FIG. I along with a modified angle plate;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective presentation of the upper step-on element ofthe starting block according to FIG.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective presentation of a second embodiment of astarting block according to the invention;

FIG. 6 shows a rail on which a starting block is to be fixed;

FIG. 7 is a partial view in perspective of the rail according to FIG. 6,at one end of which a sound source has been arranged,

FIG. 8 is a perspective presentation of a starting block provided with asound source.

In FIGS. 1 to 4, an embodiment of a starting block according to theinvention is presented. The block includes a lower base or part 10 andan upper step-on element 15. The lower and upper elements 10 and 15 aremovable in relation to one another. Through the pivotal mounting of theupper element 15 to the lower element 10, about a generally horizontal,transverse pivotal connection indicated at 11a and 12a, the inclinationof the step-on surface 16 of the upper element 15 can be appropriatelyadjusted in relation to the surface of the track.

The base 10 includes two lateral and upstanding plates 11 and 12, whichhave been connected with one another by means of strips 13 and 14.Alternatively, the upstanding plates 1] and 12 may be connected with oneanother by means of a bottom plate. The upstand- .ing plates 11 and 12have been provided at their front ends with bores 11a and 12a, in whichan axle can be inserted to pivotally connect the element 15 with thebase. It will beappreciated that the axle is to be suitably connected tothe upper element 15 as by penetrating therethrough, as indicated at16a.

The upper element 315 includes the step-on plate '16 and ribs 17 whichextend integrally therefrom and form an angle therewith. The ribs areprovided at their free ends with generally horizontally elongated slots19. The elongated slots 19 receive a pin or axle 20 which is forced orbiased toward the position shown in FIG. 4

with the aid of a leaf spring 21. This spring 21 is attached to the pin20 and a transverse wall 18, which wall interconnects ribs 17.

The upstanding plates 11 and 12 have been provided at their rear endswith rearwardly opening teeth 11d and 12d. The pin 20 can be selectivelypositioned in engagement with selected pairs of the generally upwardlyextending and rearwardly inclined teeth 11d and 12d. In the embodimentaccording to FIGS. 1 to 4 therefore, a four-step adjustment of the upperelement 15 is possible.

The step-on plate 16 may be provided, for example, with a plastic layer22, in order to prevent the sprinter from slipping under allcircumstances during the start.

The side plate 11 has been provided with a bore 11c and two threadedbores 11b, which serve for attaching a laterally projecting assemblycomprising an angle plate 23 having a projection in the form of a roundbolt 24. The round bolt 24 engages with bore 11c, and the angle plate 23is attached by screw bolts 25. The same bores for attaching the angleplate 23 have been provided in the side plate 12, so that the variousstarting blocks can be attached on both sides of the attaching railshown in FIG. 6. In this fashion a single block may be mounted on therail so as to project laterally there- .from on either side of thatrail.

In order to mount the starting block, the angle plate 23 is placed aboveand then positioned so as to overlap one leg of the U-shaped rail 50 insuch a way that bolt 24 is positively positioned in a selected one ofthe complementary slits 51. In this manner the starting block will bepositively and removably engaged without there being any need forfastening it.

The general mounting arrangement herein contemplated is generallyillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5 of copending application Ser. No. 108,719,filed Jan. 22, 1971, entitled "Starting Control Device for RunningEvents", and assigned to the assignee of the present application.

In FIG. 3, another form of an angle plate 23' is shown. The angle plateincludes a projection 24' for engaging with a selected one of thecomplementary slits 51 of the rail 50 when the angle plate is telescopedover a leg of that rail. It will be appreciated that such an angle platemay be located on each of the side plates 11 and 12. Moreover, theprojection 24' may be advan tageously formed as an inclined beaminclined at an angle substantially the same as the angle of inclinationof the slits 51 to facilitate assembly and positioning of the block.

A further embodiment of the starting block is shown in FIG. 5. Base 30has upstanding side plates 31 and 32, which have been provided at theirfront ends (for example, 31a) with generally horizontal elongated slots33. A pin 36, which is firmly connected with the upper step-on element34 is positioned in these elongated holes, as a result of which theupper element 34 is pivotable and horizontally shiftable relative tobase 30.

two parts 30 and 34 do not need to be provided with movable parts asemployed, for example, in the embodiment according to FIG. 1. That is,the use of slots 33 eliminates the need for making pin 39 slidablerelative to element 34.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the angle plate for the attachment withrail 50 has been designated by 40.

The rail 50 shown in FIG. 6 has upstanding legs 50a and 50binterconnected by a horizontal support. The legs 50a and 50b have slits51 formed therein into which, as already described, the starting blockscan be mounted. The slits are slightly inclined in the direction ofrunning, so that during the start the rail will be pushed toward theground and the slipping of the rail on the track will be prevented.Preferably, the slits should form an angle of about 75 with thehorizontal. In order to prevent any twisting or shaking, the ends of therail are held at a slight distance above the track by means of bentfeet. Each foot has a lower horizontal portion (See, for example,portion 54, 55 of the rear foot). Such lower portions have been providedwith spikes 56 which engage with the surface of the track to prevent therail from slipping. The front and rear feet have stepped up portions 52,53, respectively, to which the rail is attached, thus keeping the railspaced from the track surface.

Naturally the starting blocks according to the invention can be used notonly together with the rail shown in FIG. 6, but they can also beattached to other rails, for example to special starting machines whereelectric contacts have been provided in the case of the start for thecontrol of a premature start.

FIG. 7 shows the front end of a rail 60 for attachment of startingblocks as described previously. The rail contains a housing 61 whichhouses a sound source, prefer ably a loudspeaker 63, which is connectedwith a signal source via a line 62, which delivers electric signalsenergizing the loudspeaker.

FIG. 8 shows a starting block with a built=in sound source, for example,loudspeaker 65, with feed line 66.

Although the invention has been described in con nection with particularembodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the artthat additions, substitutions, modifications and deletions notspecifically described may be made without departing from the spirit orscope of the invention as defined in the ap= pended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a starting device for track events having a. rail adapted to bepositioned upon the track surface, starting block means including atleast one starting block, and means mounting said starting block meanson the rail, the improvement wherein:

said mounting means comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced slitsformed in said rail; and

said starting block has projecting means extending laterally from atleast one side for positive positioning in a complementary, selected oneof said slits; said starting block includes a base, and a step-onelement mounted on said base for pivotal movement relative to said base;

said base including a pair of interconnected, upstanding lateral plates;

said plates being provided adjacent the rear portion thereof with aplurality of teeth;

said step-on element being mounted for pivotal movement adjacent theforward end of said plates; and

said step-on element being provided with a member adjacent the rearportion thereof for cooperatively engaging with selected ones of saidteeth;

said element having a slot means extending generally longitudinally ofsaid rail and formed adjacent a rear portion of said element;

said member being slidably mounted in said slot means; and

spring means, connected between said element and said member, forbiasing said member forwardly in said slot means.

2. A starting device comprising:

a rail operable to be positioned upon a track surface;

and

a pair of starting blocks connected to said rail, each block including:

a base,

a step-on element mounted on said base for pivotal movement relative tosaid base about the forward end thereof, and

teeth means located adjacent the rear end of said base and engageablewith said step-on element to releasably hold said element in a selectedposition relative to said base;

said step-on element being provided with means defining a slot andfurther including a member slidably mounted on said slot and selectivelymovable into and out of engagement with said teeth means to permit saidelement to be adljustably inclined relative to said base.

1. In a starting device for track events having a rail adapted to bepositioned upon the track surface, starting block means including atleast one starting block, and means mounting said starting block meanson the rail, the improvement wherein: said mounting means comprises aplurality of longitudinally spaced slits formed in said rail; and saidstarting block has projecting means extending laterally from at leastone side for positive positioning in a complementary, selected one ofsaid slits; said starting block includes a base, and a step-on elementmounted on said base for pivotal movement relative to said base; saidbase including a pair of interconnected, upstanding lateral plates; saidplates being provided adjacent the rear portion thereof with a pluralityof teeth; said step-on element being mounted for pivotal movementadjacent the forward end of said plates; and said step-on element beingprovided with a member adjacent the rear portion thereof forcooperatively engaging with selected ones of said teeth; said elementhaving a slot means extending generally longitudinally of said rail andformed adjacent a rear portion of said element; said member beingslidably mounted in said slot means; and spring means, connected betweensaid element and said member, for biasing said member forwardly in saidslot means.
 2. A starting device comprising: a rail operable to bepositioned upon a track surface; and a pair of starting blocks connectedto said rail, each block including: a base, a step-on element mounted onsaid base for pivotal movement relative to said base about the forwardend thereof, and teeth means located adjacent the rear end of said baseand engageable with said step-on element to releasably hold said elementin a selected position relative to said base; said step-on element beingprovided with means defining a slot and further including a Memberslidably mounted on said slot and selectively movable into and out ofengagement with said teeth means to permit said element to be adjustablyinclined relative to said base.